Frostival 2023: Fun Outdoor Activities to Enjoy Winter!

Sometimes it can be hard to get outside in winter when the temperatures are dropping and the wind is whipping. But the benefits of getting outside, including lifting your mood, getting vitamin D, and boosting creativity are worth making the effort to get everyone bundled up.

Here are some fun events that are happening in our area to help you get your family outside this winter.

Frostival 2023

Days: January 14th – February 25th, 2023

Location: Various locations throughout the Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo area

Most events are free, but a few events that require pre-registration will have a fee.

Frostival provides winter fun for the whole family! Below is a list for some of the offerings at this year’s Frostival. For a complete listing of all activities, please see the full schedule of events.

S’Mores & More

Days: January 9th from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Location: Roosevelt Park

Enjoy s’mores, hot chocolate, music, and ice skating at this free event.

Bouncin’ Bash

Days: January 16th, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Location: Rustad Recreation Center

Take full advantage of a day of no school and bring the kids to the Rustad Recreation Center for a fun day of indoor fun and inflatable games! All participants must be accompanied by an adult. This event is recommended for ages 13 and under.

S’Mores & More

Days: January 16th, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Location: Clara Barton Park

Brrr-illiant 10-minute Plays

Winter Birding Festival

Days: January 21st, 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

Location: Forest River Park

Enjoy winter birding at its finest. This festival is free for birders of all skill levels and a limited number of binoculars will be provided.

Cardboard Sled Races

Days: January 21st, 11:00 a.m. registration, 11:30 a.m. race

Location: Mickelson Sledding Hill

Join in the fun with races and games! Bring your own cardboard sled from home and race down the hill. Register onsite for this free event.

Movie on Ice

Days: January 22nd, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Location: The Lights Ice Rink at the Essentia Health Plaza

Bundle up and head to The Lights for ice skating and a family-friendly movie! Free hot cocoa and cookies will be available while supplies last. And skate rental is available for a fee.

S’Mores & More

Days: January 23rd, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Location: Longfellow Park

Enjoy s’mores, hot chocolate, music, and ice skating at this free event.

Moorhead Frostival Kick-Off Party

Days: January 27th, 3:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Location: Harold’s on Main

Winter Mixer – Day to Night, this kids and adults Frostival Kick-off Party includes food, drinks, kid’s activities, adult games, live music, and karaoke.

Frostival Snow Fort Competition

Days: January 27th, 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Location: First Presbyterian Church, Moorhead

Register your team for thuis Snow Fort Competition which will be tested in a fun filled snowball fight. Followed up by energy pumped dance music provided by DJ IV of Icebreaks Entertainment. And food with nonalcoholic beverages from Flannel Fizz will be up for sale. Additional games and activities for family and friends will provided.

Brrr-illiant 10-minute Plays

Days: January 27th – 28th

Location: FMCT Community Stage at the Hjemkomst Center

Check out this 10-Minute play festival put on by the FM Community Theater. FMCT has selected 12 original 10-minute plays from over 120 submissions from all over the world. Cost is $10 per person.

Stars of PBS

Days: January 28th, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location: MSUM Planetarium

Stars of PBS is a fun-filled day for the whole family. The MSUM Planetarium presents the show, One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure, in the planetarium every 45 minutes. In the Center for Business (across the street from the Planetarium) they will host tons of activities and resources for families to enjoy. This year, the Red River Zoo will have its ZooMobile on site. Show tickets are on a first-come basis and will be available 45 minutes before each show.

Camp Warming House

Days: January 28th, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Location: Maplewood Park

Join the West Fargo Park District outdoors at this family-focused Frostival event! Enjoy a variety of free winter activities in the recently renovated West Fargo park including sledding, skating, and s’mores. Also, don’t forget to bring your camera to take advantage of the themed photo areas!

Fun at Frozen Fortress

Days: January 28th, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location: Viking Ship Park

Embrace the cool of winter with a day of outdoor activities and events: The Moorhead Business Association’s Snow Sculpture Contest, free cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals, outdoor games, a hot chocolate station, a marshmallow roast, and more!

Register for an Interpretive Snowshoe Hike hosted by River Keepers and participate in activities including a scavenger hunt, Snowga, Dance Attack, and a meditation circle for free! And catch a children’s show sneak peek from FMCT in the Hjemkomst Center.

AXIS Clinicals Presents Snow Sculpture Competition

Days: January 28th, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location: Viking Ship Park

The Moorhead Business Association (MBA) invites you to be a part of this free and family-friendly event presented by AXIS Clinicals. Stroll through Viking Ship Park and vote for your favorite sculpture during the Frozen Fortress! Voting is open from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., with winners announced at 2:30 p.m.

Frost N Bowl

Days: January 28th, 9:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

Location: Sunset Lanes

All you can bowl for $12 per person. Includes 20 credits ($5) for the arcade! All ages are encouraged to join the fun!

Hearth & Frost Block Party

Days: January 29th, 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Location: Broadway Square/Rosewild

Enjoy local music, live art, Frostival-themed snacks and drinks, and a van expo.

S’Mores & More

Days: January 30th, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Location: Centennial Park

Enjoy a night out with family! S’more supplies are available for you to cook your own at the winter bonfires. And don’t forget to bring your ice skates so you can skate to the music on the outdoor rink.

Candlelight Trail Walk

Days: January 31st, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Location: Viking Ship Park

Take a scenic stroll around Viking Ship Park with a trip through Mary’s Tunnel! Learn about constellations from local astronomy groups and hear caroling from FMCT around a fire.

Play outdoor games, enjoy s’mores, hot dogs, and hot chocolate, and take advantage of free cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals.

Winter Warm-Up at the Rourke

Days: February 4th, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Location: Rourke Art Gallery + Museum

Get cozy in downtown Moorhead! Hit up their complimentary cocoa bar after browsing their handmade mug market, gather around the fire pits in the M. Dorian Clemedtson Memorial Sculpture Court, and shop for toasty mittens, hats, and scarves from local fiber artists. And drop off winter weather accessories for their community hat and mitten drive!

Sleigh Rides

Days: February 4th, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Location: M.B. Johnson Park

Enjoy sleigh rides through beautifully scenic M.B. Johnson Park. Frostival treats and refreshments will be available. The cost is $5/person, call to reserve tickets for a specific time slot: (218) 299-5340.

Cops vs. Kids Hockey Game

Days: February 4th, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Location: Moorhead Sports Center

The Moorhead Spuds take on the Moorhead Police Department in a friendly game of hockey.

Saturday Storytime with WDAY Meteorologist Lydia Blume

Days: February 11th, 2:00 p.m.

Location: Moorhead Public Library

Toddlers, pre-schoolers, and families are invited to Saturday Storytime at the Moorhead Public Library. Join for stories, songs, rhymes, and activities.

FrosTAKular

Days: February 11th, 2:00 p.m.

Location: TAK Music Venue

Enjoy a live music concert featuring songs from musicals geared toward children. And there will be a balloon drop during the final song. Concessions will be available for purchase before and during the show. The show will run for about 60 minutes and cost is $10 per person/$30 for a family of six.

Keep Me Cold in Moorhead Open Skate

Days: February 12th

Location: Cullen Hockey Center

Free open skate at Cullen Hockey Center in Moorhead. Free skate rentals for kids up to size 3.

Frostival Laserfest

Days: February 17th, 18th, and 19th

Location: MSUM Planetarium

Sleigh Rides

Days: February 18th, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Location: M.B. Johnson Park

Enjoy sleigh rides through beautifully scenic M.B. Johnson Park. Frostival treats and refreshments will be available. The cost is $5/person, call to reserve tickets for a specific time slot: (218) 299-5340.

Coffee & Cocoa Crawl

Days: February 25th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Location: Downtown Fargo

Sample coffee and cocoa samples from local businesses in Downtown Fargo. Ticket prices $25 and include a mug made by a local artist. Get tickets here.

Winter Trails Day

Days: February 25th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Location: M.B. Johnson Park

Volunteers of the North Country Trail Association’s Dakota Prairie Chapter will be on hand to help participants try out cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and/or skishoeing at the trails within M.B. Johnson Park.

Youth Ice Fishing Derby

Days: February 25th, 1:30 p.m. registration, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. derby

Location: South Woodhaven Pond

For ages 15 and younger: bring your ice fishing rod and try your luck at the annual Youth Ice Fishing Derby. South Woodhaven Pond is stocked with perch, bluegill and northern pike. And holes are pre-drilled for participants. This event include free s’mores and giveaways (while supplies last).

Ongoing Frostival Events

Community Blizzard

Days: January 14th – February 25th

Location: West Fargo Public Library

West Fargo residents and the surrounding areas are encouraged to create snowflakes with whatever medium you feel comfortable with (with a size limit of 1’x1′) to bring and share at the West Fargo Public Library. We will decorate the library throughout Frostival to showcase the participants. Snowflakes can be dropped off during library hours.

Frostival Coloring Contest

Days: January 16th – 28th

Location: Virtual

Embrace the season by coloring a winter-themed coloring page! All participants will be entered to win a sled. Visit wfparks.org for additional information and to print your entry.

Silver Snowflake Search

Days: Starts January 16th

Location: Around West Fargo

Hunt for the Frostival Silver Snowflakes in West Fargo for a chance to win one of four extravagant prize packages! New clues will be posted daily on wfparks.org.

More Outdoor Activities

For more ideas on winter fun, see our Guide to Winter Activities in Fargo!